Loose-leaf binder



-Dec. 21 ,1926.

1,611,463 L. c. LAUGHLIN LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed May 12, 1924 v 2 Sheets-Shet 1 GOO GOO liar/anion- Lawrence C. Laug/zlin.

m Qgw Dem-21,1926. 1 1 1,611,463 I 1.. c. LAUGHLIN LOOSE LEAF BINDER Fifed May 12 1924 2 Sheets-Ske a I O i l O i I O I O 0 O I imp-:2: T I O G 51 an. "u m 15 I K 1306 P51111151 ,7 v llll Patented Dec. 21, 1926.

LAWRENCE C. LAUGI-ILIN, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application filed May 12,

My invention relates to loose-leaf binders, and moreparticularly to that-form of loose-leaf binder adapted to receive cards or leaves which may be shifted for a predetermined distance toward the top or the bottom of the binder.

V More particularly, my. invention relates to a binder having two groups of fingers adapted to receive the leaves of the. book, and which may be shifted for a predetermined distance relative to each other. 2 "Another object of-my, invention relatesto the structure whereby'one group of thefingersmay be detached'from thebook and removed to another book ortransfer device. Another 'object of-the invention -is the provision of a'binder in whi'cha new leaf may be inserted without the danger; of any leaf already in the book becoming detached therefrom. Other objects and featuresof advantage, some' 'ofwhich with the-foregoing, Wlll' be set forth in the following description of my invention. It is to be-understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made bythe said descriptionas I may adopt variant embodiments of the invention within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a loose leaf binder constructed in'accordance with the principles of my invention, and showing the binderin open position; 4 1

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the two groups of fingers, the plates on which they are mountedyand associated structure; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig.2; V t Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the slidable inember'carrying one'group of fingers; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of one of the narrow sheets shown in Figzl. V

1 In'the drawings, represents the cover of the binder, which is preferably madev of rigid material; In Fig. 1, only slightlymorethanone-half of the cover is-shown. -The binder has a width extending roni the hinge 'or crease 11'to the" extreme righthand-man gin of the coverrasishowniiniFig. 1.". The thickness of the binder-is :thedistance' be- 1 tweeir'the two hinges. 1 1 and 12,-and. this distancef'is approximately the height-f. the fingers 13; F The fingersorsprongs:13 arepreferably formed from ."smalldiameter steel rods and comprise: a] stem 13%term-inating 1924. Serial No. 712,898.

in a free end 13 approximately at right a11- gles to the. stem.

I As a mounting shallow box 14, preferably of metal, and forming a seat having a bottom 15, end, walls 16, and sidewalls 17.-- Secured to the bottom vwall 155, and preferably to the side walls 17,

isla rectangular plate 18. :An angle plate 19 of-substantially one-half the width of the plate 18 is secured thereto, which-plate has an upstanding portion 20 extending at right angles to the plate 19, which upstanding portion; extends for the entirelength of the plate 18 and along the median line thereof. A plate 21 comprising a bar overlies the plate-19. Tl e-;-plates 18,19, a11d 21{a.1e S8 cnred together bymeans of screws 22 .or other fastening devices, A slidable, plate or ban 23;.lies on the; plate 18 and is of substantially one-half; the width. thereof, I which plate 23;, lies in the same plane'as the plate 211 1l1e plate 23 is shorter than the distance between the ends 16 ofthe containing box and isslidable therein for a distance 7 equal to the differencebetweenthe inside length of the boxand the length of the plate 23.] The plate 23 is provided with fingers 13 secured to} the plate near the marginal edge thereof, Theplate 21 is also provided with a group of alignment fingers nearits 'outer-.m arginal edge. The groups of fingers are :C&I'I18Cl'- by the plates 21 and 23 respectively, and the free ends '13 are bent inwardly so that the. extremities of each of the two groups of fingers are in alignment,.and at .right angles to the stem 13% of the fingers 13, the ends of the-fingers in each group overlapping the ends of-the other group, all as shown in Fig. 3. i i

The plate 21.;has secured thereto a plurality-of that spring members24t, which extend from the outer marginal edge of the. plate member 21 across the width thereof, and approximately across lonerha'lfofthe width of :the relatively movable. member 23. The

fl-anget201of; the angle plate is preferably provided with-recesses or L notches? 2 1:? so; that '1 the springs: 24, may contact without: interferencefrom the flange with, the plate 23,;{1Ihe spring member-241, has an upturned end por- :ii'lOIlr255SQ'LthfitjthE plate member 23 may. be 'readily -;inserted; beneath the spring member 324. 1 ,-Thea;}p1 ate .25:. is-a1sognotched as at .26, which notch may be brought into alignment for the fingers, I provide a I with an overhanging lug 27 secured to the side member 17 of the containing box. The lug 27 and the notch 26 are so proportioned that when the notch 26 is brought into alignment with the lug 2?,the outer side of the plate 23 may be raised, the lug 27 passing through the notch 26 and the plate 23 sliding from beneath the spring 24:.

If it be desired to move the upper narrow leaf as shown in Fig. 1 in order to insert a card in between the top and the nextto the top narrow leaf, the top leaf on the righthand side of the binder can be shifted to the left hand side of the binder on the fingers 13, then moving the plate member 23 upwardly until the same but-ts against the end of the member 16 farthest removed from the operator, and. then shifting the narrow page from the lefthand group of fingers to the righthand group. The distance that the plate 23 may be shifted is exactly equal to the dis tance between two of the successive holes punched in the leaf, which also is the same distance the visible margin of each page, as shown on Fig. 1.

If it be desired to shift any one of the leaves or groups of leaves upwardly, the same procedure is followed, and if it be desired to move any one or a group of the leaves donuiwardly, the same method is employed ith the exception that instead of moving the member 23 away from the operator, it is moved toward the operator.

If it be desired to transfer any one or a group of the leaves to another folder, bind er, or the like, the operator should transfer on the fingers 13 all such leaves as he desires to transfer, and he should then bodily remove the member 23 and all the leaves carried thereby to the transfer device. He should then transfer such leaves as he desires to transferto the transfer device, leaving on the member 23 such leaves as he does not desire to transfer. The member 23 can be readily reinserted into its slideway by slipping the inner edge of the member 23 beneath the upturned portion 25 of the spring 2% and then bringing the notch 26 into alignment with the lug 27, allowing the lug 27 to pass through the notch 26 and sliding the member 23 downwardly so that the notch 26 will no longer be in alignment with the lug 27.

If it be desired to insert a new page with out removing the member 23, this may be accomplished by pulling the righthand group of fingers in an opposite direction from the lefthand group of fingers so as to leave a small space in between the ends of the two groups of fingers, at which time the new leaf may be inserted. During such an op eration, the spring 24 would yield sufii ciently to permit accomplishment of the desired result.

It is obvious that manycha-nges might be made in this invention without departing from the spirit thereof. I, therefore, do not limit myself to the exact construction shown except as I may limit myself in the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a binder, a seat, a bar fixed to said seat, a longitudinally slidable bar removably mounted on said seat alongside said fixed bar, and means carried by each of said bars to receive the leaves of the binder.

2. In a binder, a seat, a bar fixed to said seat, a longitudinally slidable bar removably mounted on said seat alongside said fined bar, means carried by each of said bars to receive the leaves of the binder, and means secured to the fixed bar for retaining said slidable bar in position alongside said fixed bar.

In a binder, a fixed bar, a slidable bar, a fiat spring secured to the fixed bar and overlying the slidable bar, and means carried by each of said bars to receive the leaves of the binder.

4. In a binder, a fixed bar, a removable slidable bar, a spring secured to the fixed bar and overlying the slidable bar, said spring having an upturned free end so that the slidable bar may be readily replaced thereunder, and means carried by each of said bars to receive the leaves of the binder.

5. In a binder, a shallow seat having sides and ends, a bar secured to said seat, a bar shorter than the length of said seat and slidable therein, and means carried by each of said bars to receive the leaves of the binder.

6. In a binder a slidably mounted bar having a notch in one edge, means carried by said bar to receive the leaves of the binder, retaining means secured to said binder and normally engaging one edge of said movable bar to maintain said bar in position, said retaining means being inoperative when positioned opposite said notch.

7. In a binder, a shallow box, a rigid member secured therein, a relatively movable member slidable therein, rigid means normally holding one side of the movable member, and resilient means normally holding the other side of the movable member, and fingers carried by each of said members to receive the leaves of the binder.

8. In a binder, a fixed bar, a longitudinally slidable bar disposed parallel to said fixed bar, means carried by each of said bars to receive the leaves of a binder, means for holding said slidable bar in position adja cent the fixed bar, said means being yieldable to permit tilting of said slidable bar to permit insertion or removal of a eaf.

9. In a hinder, the combination of a fixed bar, a longitudinally slidable bar disposed parallel to said fixed bar, leaf-holding ltll) prongs carried by each of said bars, means resiliently retaining said slidable bar in po sition, but permitting tilting thereof so that a leaf may be inserted, and a lug normally preventing removal of said slidable bar.

10.-A binder comprising a cover, a seat secured to said cover, a fixed bar mounted in one side of the seat,- a slidable bar of less length than the seat mounted in the other side thereof and adapted to be shifted longitudinally of said fixed bar, and prongs on said bars for holding the leaves of the binder.

11. A binder comprisinga cover, a seat secured to said cover, a fixed bar mounted in one side of the seat, a slidable bar of less length than the seat mounted in the other side thereof, and prongs on said bars holding the leaves of the binder, said slidable bar adapted to be shifted upwardly to place selected sheets nearer the top of the hinder or shifted downwardly to place Selected sheets nearer the bottom of the binder.

12. A binder comprising a cover, a seat secured to said cover, a fixed bar mounted in one side of the seat, a slidable bar of less length than the seat mounted in the other side thereof and adapted to be shifted long-r tudinally of said fixed bar, a plurality of springs for resiliently retaining the sliding bar in position, a lug on the binder overlapping said sliding plate to preventits removal, and prongs on said bars for holding the leaves of the binder.

13. A binder comprising a cover, a seat secured to said cover, a fixed bar mountedin one sideof the seat, a slidable bar mounted in the other side of said seat, a notch in said slidable bar, a lug on the binder normally resisting the removal of the slidable bar but registerable with said notch to permit re-' moval of said slidable bar, means on said bars for holding the leaves of the binder, and resilient means for resisting movement of the slidable bar.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

'LAVVRENCE C. LAUGHLIN. 

